World Cup 2026 / Uruguay - Spain: la Roja lead 1-0 at the break!

Spain have taken a narrow but crucial step towards qualification. Thanks to a goal from Álex Baena just before the interval, la Roja lead Uruguay 1-0 after a first half they largely dominated.

Spain go into halftime with a 1-0 lead over Uruguay at the Estadio de Guadalajara in this Group H clash of the 2026 World Cup. La Roja completely dominated possession, holding 74% of the ball, but struggled to break through until the dying minutes of a first half that was controlled but lacked a cutting edge. Uruguay’s high pressing—true to Marcelo Bielsa’s philosophy—seriously disrupted Spain’s passing game and kept Lamine Yamal in check.

Read also: CDM 2026 / Uruguay - Spain: the official lineups!

The breakthrough finally came in the 42nd minute through Álex Baena. Well set up by Marcos Llorente, the Spanish midfielder unleashed a shot that beat Muslera, with the goal confirmed after a VAR review.

However, Uruguay suffered a major setback just before halftime. Manuel Ugarte was forced off with an injury in the 44th minute, replaced by Nicolás de la Cruz. As a result, Luis de la Fuente heads into the second half with a precious advantage, but against a weakened Celeste side that remains a real threat.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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